The Lost Colony - are you smarter than a TV crew?

As a group of fairly educated public television viewers, the Time Team America production crew had certainly heard of the Lost Colony at Roanoke Island. Some of us even knew enough to whisper "Croatoan" ala Citizen Kane when we heard our first shoot was at Fort Raleigh.

But after spending a few days steeped in the mystery of Roanoke, we learned about a few new pieces of the puzzle:

• Metallurgy.  Excavations at Fort Raleigh in 1991 unearthed the remains of a science center.  Archaeologists believe the first colonists were testing various metal ores at the site. (However, that dig still didn't turn up any domestic artifacts that would point to the location of the colonists' homes.)
• The sign. The Roanoke colonists sent their leader, John White, back to England for supplies. Before White left, the settlers had agreed to leave a sign if they decided to move their camp.  Further, they would use the mark of a cross if they were in danger.  When White returned to the deserted colony he found the word Croatoan carved onto a post, but no cross.
• The techniques of discovery. Archaeology isn't just about finding artifacts. Subtle differences in the color and texture of the soil can provide a great deal of information, such as the location of decayed wooden support posts from centuries-old structures.

There is still a lot to explore about the first English colony in America. It's a fascinating story and a terrific way to launch the series. Want to learn more?  Watch the first episode at the PBS Video Portal. Or visit the First Colony Foundation, our hosts for the dig.